


Just A Little Crush

by thetomkatwholived



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Crushes, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-30 05:29:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18309149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thetomkatwholived/pseuds/thetomkatwholived
Summary: Nico gets more than he bargained for when he goes to treat a patient with a broken wrist.





	Just A Little Crush

**Author's Note:**

> I was working on this idea for a bit and then [jakeborellis](http:/jakeborellis.tumblr.com/) posted an AU idea on Tumblr about Levi being Nico's patient and developing a crush. Since this story was basically already going that way, I decided to go with that idea. I think it's pretty cute. *shrug*
> 
> I broke my wrist a few years ago and that's really the only reason I gave Levi that injury. But if any medical stuff seems wrong, definitely let me know.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Nico Kim inspected the chart of a twenty-four year old with a broken wrist, before making his way over to the bed he was currently lying in in the ER. He’d dealt with a lot of broken wrists throughout his tenure and didn’t think this would be anything out of the ordinary. What he wasn’t expecting was to look up and be met with a ridiculously cute, doe-eyed man. He was short, with light brown hair and incredible eyes, framed by glasses. He had a bit of a baby face, but his scruff made him look his true age. Nico smiled as he made his way to the patient, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

He cleared his throat, “Hello, Mr. Schmitt. I’m Dr. Kim and I will be helping you today. Can you tell me what happened?”

The man seemed to be in a trance, but he shook his head and regained himself. “Hi. Hello. You can call me Levi. I, uh, I’m really clumsy? And short. So I was trying to get something from the top shelf, but, uh, the stool was wobbly, I guess? I fell back and my weight landed on my wrist. I’m in med school, so I knew it was broken pretty quickly.”

Nico quirked an eyebrow. “Did you drive yourself here with a broken wrist?”

Levi turned bright red. “Uh, no. My mom drove me? She went to get a coffee while we waited.”

As if on cue, a short woman, who looked remarkably like Levi, appeared at his bedside. “Oh, hello! I’m Rachel Schmitt. You must be Levi’s doctor. My, aren’t you a handsome one!”

“Thank you, ma’am. I’m Dr. Kim and I was just getting the story of the injury from Levi.” He turned to give Levi a secret smile, as though they had some kind of inside joke. Levi turned even more red. “I’m going to take you up for an x-ray. Ma’am, you’re welcome to wait in the waiting area over there.” Nico indicated an area off to the side.

“Oh sure! I’ll leave you two alone.” Rachel gave a wink in Levi’s direction that she clearly meant to be discrete, but was glaringly obvious.

“Mom!” Levi wailed, burying his face in his hands as Nico wheeled him away.

“She’s funny. I like her.”

“I just, uh, came out? Well, I’ve been out for a while, but not to her. But I just came out to her last week and since then she tries to set me up with every man she thinks is even remotely attractive. So when she saw you, she must have had a field day. Sorry about that.” Levi stuttered this explanation out as though he were second-guessing every word.

“She called me a ‘handsome one.’” Nico laughed out.

Levi groaned. “Yeah, she’s embarrassing.”

“You don’t think I’m handsome?” Nico smiled as a pretty pink color overtook Levi’s face, and his eyes grew twice as wide.

“I… you… well, I mean…” Levi took a moment to compose himself, “you’re… I like your face…?” He buried his face in his hands again and let out a frustrated huff.

Nico couldn’t tamp down his smile as he watched Levi silently berate himself. He was self-aware; he knew what he looked like and the effect he often had on people. Rarely does he go a day without someone hitting on him, and he’s used to moony-eyed teenagers with broken limbs trying to flirt. But Levi was different. His crush was evident, but he also seemed to treat it like a schoolyard crush. Instead of peacocking and flirting, he was bumbling and blushing. It was ridiculously endearing.

“Thanks. I was born with it. Had it my whole life.” Nico decided to tease a bit. If a cute, gay,  future doctor had a crush on him, why not take advantage of that?

“I can’t believe I said that. I’m so dumb. Ignore me.” Levi let out a relieved sigh as they made it to the X-ray room, apparently glad to have a reprieve from being awkward around Nico.

“Nah, you’re interesting. I’m not going to ignore you, but I am going to leave you in the very capable hands of Ms. Jenkins, our X-ray technician.” Nico handed Levi off to Ms. Jenkins - Lydia - but not before giving him a wink and delighting in the deep blush that bloomed on his cheeks.

Soon after, Nico came back to collect Levi and bring him back to the ER. As he entered the room, he heard Levi and Lydia seemingly engrossed in conversation, not hearing the door open.

“He’s probably the most attractive doctor here. He started his fellowship a few months ago and easily unseated Dr. Avery as the hottest.” Lydia was a known gossip, always aware of the goings-on at Grey + Sloan.

“I saw him almost immediately when I got to the ER. I mean, he’s hard to miss. But then he was my doctor and up close? If I didn’t already know I was gay, the butterflies his face gave me would have been a dead giveaway.” That was Levi. He sounded less stuttery and nervous. 

“He’s gay too, ya know? Much to the chagrin of all the ladies here. But he’s a real charmer.”

“I’m so awkward around him. All bumbly and blushy. In my head, I’d be all sauve and impress him with my medical knowledge. But I can barely get a full sentence out without stuttering or embarrassing myself. Or both.” Nico cocked his head at this statement. Levi didn’t seem to understand how adorable and endearing he came off. 

Figuring he had spent enough time eavesdropping, Nico decided to make his presence known. He cleared his throat and stepped further into the room. Levi looked positively mortified as he turned deep scarlet. Lydia was, as always, shameless.

“Hey, Dr. Kim! We were just talking about you!” Levi sputtered at Lydia’s words, obviously thinking she’d have some level of discretion.

“Well, Levi, I got your scans so we can go to an exam room and take a look at what’s going on. You ready?” Levi could only manage a shaky nod.

As they were making their way back to an exam room, Levi loudly cleared his throat, “Um, did you happen to hear anything we were saying? When you came in the room?”

Nico knew the right thing to say was not the honest thing. But a part of him wanted to tell Levi and see how he reacted. Whether he’d admit how he felt if Nico indicated that he found him intriguing and attractive. But he also knew that was the best way to scare someone off. “I think I caught something about you embarrassing yourself, but I didn’t hear anything really.”

Tension visibly left Levi’s shoulders and he gave a small sound of relief. Without thinking, Nico placed a comforting hand on his shoulder; Levi straightened up and gave a small gasp. Nico withdrew his hand, not wanting to upset him.

“S-sorry. I’m a mess. Sorry. You’re just being nice, and I’m all over the place.” Levi’s voice was strained, as though he was worn out by trying to censor himself around Nico.

“No, it’s my fault.  There’s no need for me to touch you.” Nico felt a cold spread through him as reality hit him. It felt nice for someone so cute and sweet to like him, but, in actuality, they didn’t know each other. Nico touching him must be alarming.

“No! I… I just wasn’t expecting it. You can… touch me. Oh God, that sounds so suggestive. I just meant that I’m trying to not be weird around you.” Levi took a deep breath, steeling himself for something, “You’re just… really attractive. And obviously smart and really sweet. And I’ve been single a long time. I know you can tell I have a bit of a… crush. So I’m sorry for being so weird and awkward. You can get someone else to treat me.” The back of his neck was bright red, and he had a small hint of tears in his voice.

“Why would I get someone else?” Nico couldn’t hide the small smile blooming on his face. It turns out Levi was also incredibly brave.

“Because I’m just some weird med student with a creepy crush. I know you’re out of my league.” Levi shrugged, and Nico could hear how deflated he felt. “God, what a day.”

Nico scoffed, making Levi tense up, obviously expecting the worst. What Nico actually had to say made him loosen up and smile: “I’m so not out of your league. You are certainly a lot of things, Levi, but not good enough is definitely not one of them.”

Levi huffed out a self-conscious laugh as they made their way into the exam room. He ambled out of the wheelchair and settled himself on the bed, careful to not jostle his wrist in the transition. He was still a lovely pink color, and his eyes flitted around Nico’s face, as if trying to take in each part of him and commit it to memory. Levi looked overwhelmed.

Nico went over the X-rays with him, trying to be as clinical and professional as possible to put Levi at ease. Normally, he would try to be more jesting and open with his twenty-something patients, just to lighten the mood. But with Levi, he knew that would veer quickly into flirting territory, and Levi did not seem to be able to fully handle that at the moment. 

“You won’t need any surgery; I just have to reset your wrist and put it in a cast. You can pick the color, if you want.” Nico gave a small smile, trying to give off a welcoming vibe. He knew Levi must feel awkward, and he wanted him to know that he didn’t have to feel that way.

“Oh, just white is fine. Nothing special needed.” The blush had started to die down, and Nico missed the way the color sat prettily on Levi’s cheeks. But the lack of blush did nothing to hide his undeniable attractiveness. Huh. That’s quite a thought to unpack.

“Okay. I’m going to have to give you some laughing gas, so you’ll get a bit loopy. But if anything hurts or you start to feel sick, let me know.” Levi nodded shakily, obviously not too happy about having to be loopy in front of Nico.

A nurse and intern joined Nico and Levi to assist with resetting the bone and putting on the cast. Nico administered the laughing gas and numbed the wrist. Levi giggled quietly and his head lolled to the side as he gazed adoringly at Nico.

“Wow. You’re so pretty,” Levi sighed out before falling into a fit of giggles.

“Why, thank you, Levi.” Nico smiled fondly, thoroughly enjoying this drugged-up Levi.

“I like looking at you and talking to you. I have a crush on you. But my crushes never pan out. And you’re too pretty for me. Pretty, pretty Dr. Kim.” Levi lightly ran his fingers up Nico’s arm, causing goosebumps to appear and shivers to run down his arm.

“I think you can call me Nico now. We’re probably there,” Nico laughed out, trying to ignore the way Levi’s small touch made him feel. “Okay, I’m going to reset your wrist now. It shouldn’t hurt, but you may feel some pressure. But let me know if it does hurt so I can stop.”

“Handsome Nico. Strong and talented Nico. I will tell you everything you want to know.” 

“Wow, he is such a mood,” Trish, the intern, huffed out, amused. Nico gave her a stern look. “What? He is! You’re smoking, Dr. Kim. Accept it. Own it. Hot patients never react this way around me.”

Nico blushed at Trish calling Levi hot. He was trying to not admit that to himself (professionalism and all that), but it was becoming harder and harder the more time he spent with this patient. Surreptitiously, he looked down at Levi, taking all of him in, from his wild hair to his sparkling eyes to his perfect pouting mouth. Nico noted that while he was short, he was also toned, like someone who occasionally worked out and kept a healthy diet. His lack of height made Nico imagine him resting his head in the crook of Nico’s neck, where, due to their height difference, it would naturally land if they were to embrace. Nodding slightly to himself, Nico decided that yes, Levi was in fact hot. Very hot indeed. He gulped.

“Ha, she thinks I’m hot! Did you hear that, handsome Nico? I’m not hot. Just average Levi.” He sighed, clearly resigned to being seen as ‘just okay’ for the rest of his life. And that just wouldn’t do.

Nico reset his wrist, making Levi let out a little hiss, but not one of pain. He propped Levi’s arm up and prepared to wrap it, but leaned down so his mouth was close to Levi’s ear. “You are so much more than average, Levi.” 

When he withdrew, with a soft smile gracing his face, Levi’s mouth was agape and his eyes were wide and beautiful. He seemed to consider answering, but instead let out a quiet whimper.

Trish applied the cast, with Nico’s supervision, and Levi was soon ready to be discharged, with the knowledge that he would need to have a follow-up appointment in a little over a week.

“That may be with me, but it all depends on availability. I may have a surgery or trauma, so chances are, it’ll be someone else.” Normally, Nico would not give such a warning, but he wanted to let Levi know that if he wasn’t there next time, it wasn’t purposeful. 

Levi’s face fell slightly, so minute that a casual observer would not have noticed, but Nico found himself keying into the subtleties of this man. Before he could stop himself, he found his hand gravitating towards Levi’s, resting for a moment on the back of his uninjured hand. He tried to ignore the slight tingles that shot through his hand at the touch.

Trish insisted on being the first to sign the cast, writing her name in large script on the forearm. She passed the Sharpie off to Hank, the nurse, who wrote his name right below Trish’s, albeit much smaller. When the Sharpie was handed to Nico, he began to have an internal debate. Would it be too much to write his number along with his name? Did he really want his number on a cast someone would be wearing for at least a month? Ultimately, he settled on putting his name delicately on the inside of the wrist, adding a small heart next to it before he could think better of it. When Levi pulled back his arm to inspect the signatures, he turned bright red and let out a shaky breath at the heart. Nico smirked, more than happy with the reaction. 

“Let me walk you out to make your next appointment,” Hank reached out a hand to help Levi out of the bed, but Nico placed a hand on his arm to stop him.

“It’s okay, Hank. I’ve got this.” Hank, for his part, did not look at all surprised that Nico wanted to spend a few more minutes with Levi. Nico had evidently not been subtle about his attraction.

They walked out of the room, Levi placing just enough distance between them to be awkward, so Nico took a half step to the side, closing the distance. He saw, out of the corner of his eye, Levi’s Adam’s Apple bob. He had clearly swallowed hard out of nerves. 

“You don’t have to be so nervous around me. I’m no one special. I watch bad reality TV and read comedian autobiographies and can’t spell to save my life. I’m just a guy.” Nico tried to lighten the mood, wanting desperately for Levi to relax around him.

“Just a guy who literally looks like a marble statue. I’m some disaster gay who is used to being overlooked and then is presented with you. Not that you’re looking at me or anything.” Levi was definitely a babbler. That much had been made clear today.

“I’m not?” Nico knew what that question would do to Levi. He knew he’d blush and sputter, and Nico would get to marvel a bit more at how adorable he was.

As expected, Levi turned pink and floundered for something to say, eventually settling on: “Um, are you?”

Nico gave an easy smile. “Yeah, definitely.”

Levi inhaled sharply, whipping his head around to look at Nico, his eyes wide, hopeful, and utterly beautiful. The pink deepened to a red and Nico had to actively restrain himself from reaching out and touching a scarlet cheek. They had stopped in the middle of the hallway, the bustle of the hospital surrounding them, but neither took any heed, too engrossed in each other.

“You’re my doctor.” Levi’s protest was weak and shaky.

“Only for the next few minutes.” Nico was willing to fight for whatever this could be.

“I’m just a clumsy med student.” 

“You’re so much more than that. And I want to know all those other things you are.”

“You’re going to realize really quickly that I’m not worth your time.” Levi looked down at this statement, his voice growing soft. This reason seemed to be the true source of his hesitation.

Nico shook his head. “I won’t. But if I do, let me get there on my own. But I won’t. If anything, you’ll realize  _ I’m _ not worth  _ your _ time.”

Levi furrowed his brow in confusion. “No, that won’t happen.”

“So why not? Why not see how this goes? I know you’re all I’m going to be able to think about for the rest of the day. Maybe the rest of the week. I want to see you again. Out of the hospital, when I’m not in scrubs. When there’s no need for professionalism and I can turn on all the charm and hold your hand and see if your blush feels as warm as I imagine it to.”

“You’ll have to hold my left hand.” Levi waved his cast for emphasis.

Nico threw his head back and let out a delighted laugh. “Of course. So is that a yes?”

Levi’s mouth curled into a sly smile, causing Nico’s breath to hitch. “I don’t believe you’ve actually asked a question.”

Nico matched the sly smile. “Will you please go on a date me?”

“Yes!” The response came before the question had even fully been asked, Levi looking a bit embarrassed at his enthusiasm. “Wow, I seem really eager. Screw it, I am really eager.”

Nico bit his lip to tamp down his smile, which was threatening to overtake his face. “Let’s get you all set for your follow-up. And then you can give me your number.”

Levi nodded frantically, eyes alight and smile wide. Nico couldn’t believe how today had turned out; he had expected to go through the motions, treat some patients, politely reject some advances, and go home. How was he to know that someone so special would stumble into his life? And knowing Levi, he probably literally stumbled.

**Author's Note:**

> Huge thanks to [schmicosmalec](http:/schmicosmalec.tumblr.com/) and [filthysweetie](http:/filthysweetie.tumblr.com/) for reading this over and convincing me it was worth finishing. They both really helped me figure out what to actually do with this fic.
> 
> Feel free to find me on Tumblr at [theswiftiewholived](https://theswiftiewholived.tumblr.com/)!


End file.
